The invention herein relates to an apparatus for helping to secure rectangularly shaped sheets of rubber roofing to the upper surface of a roof. Roofing sheets comprised of rubber materials are now used more widely for roof coverings because of the optimal life and durability. The usual approach is to place over the upper roof surface a grid-like pattern of fastening (bonding) plates, usually square-shaped members, dispersed over the upper roof surface and spaced relative to one another in a regular matrix-like pattern, generally four feet or more apart. The rubber roof sheets are, in turn, adhered in a flush manner to the upper surfaces of such fastening plates, using a suitable adhesive. In other applications the bonding plates are affixed over the top of the rubber roof sheets to hold the rubber roof sheets in a flush manner to the upper roof surface. The usual arrangement in using such fastening plates is a series of evenly-spaced rows and columns of such plates, regularly and symmetrically spaced as seen from an upper elevational view of such roof.
The present practice, as stated, is to disperse the fastening plates over the upper roof surface, using a spiking arrangement to adhere the plate to the roof surface. Once the plates are in place, they serve as the medium to which the rubber sheath is affixed by some appropriate intermediate adhesive material to affix the sheath to the upper surfaces of the bonding fastening plates. If the plates are affixed over the sheets, the same spiking arrangement is still used.
One of the predominant problems with using an adhesive intermediate material, such as a permanent glue, is that the labor or physical process of covering the bonding plate with the adhesive material is cumbersome, time-consuming and thus labor intensive in the process of placing such adhesive material on the bonding plate. Since labor costs are a substantial cost in the installation of any roofing system, any apparatus or method for saving such costs is important.
The subject invention is conceived to overcome such labor and cost problems in the installation process using rubber roof sheets and the following objects of the subject invention are set forth accordingly.
In view of the above, it is an object of the subject invention to provide an improved apparatus for affixing rubber roofing sheets to the upper surface of a roof;
Yet another object of the subject invention is to provide an improved bonding device in installing rubber roof sheets for covering roof structures;
Still another object of the subject invention is to provide an improved process for adhering and affixing rubber roof sheets to the upper surface of a roof;
Other and further objects will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the claims.